Any individual who receives a scholarship grant pursuant to section 1613a of this title shall be entitled to employment in the Service during any nonacademic period of the year. Periods of employment pursuant to this subsection shall not be counted in determining the fulfillment of the service obligation incurred as a condition of the scholarship grant.

Any individual enrolled in a course of study in the health professions may be employed by the Service during any nonacademic period of the year. Any such employment shall not exceed one hundred and twenty days during any calendar year.

Any employment pursuant to this section shall be made without regard to any competitive personnel system or agency personnel limitation and to a position which will enable the individual so employed to receive practical experience in the health profession in which he or she is engaged in study. Any individual so employed shall receive payment for his or her services comparable to the salary he or she would receive if he or she were employed in the competitive system. Any individual so employed shall not be counted against any employment ceiling affecting the Service or the Department of Health and Human Services.

(Pub. L. 94–437, title I, § 105, Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1404; Pub. L. 95–83, title III, § 307(n)(2), Aug. 1, 1977, 91 Stat. 393; Pub. L. 96–537, § 3(c), Dec. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 3174; Pub. L. 100–713, title I, § 103, Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4786; Pub. L. 102–573, title I, §§ 102(e), 117(b)(2), title IX, § 902(2)(B), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4532, 4544, 4591.)